Marietta IHOP experiences delays

New opening date end of December

Erin O'Neill

Special to The News and Sentinel

eoneill@mariettatimes.com

Photo by Erin O’Neill
Employees of North Coast Construction were working recently to hang drywall inside the new Marietta IHOP restaurant.

Photo by Erin O’Neill
What is to become the parking lot at the IHOP restaurant was flooded recently by torrential rains.

Photo courtesy of Michael Gulliver
The progress on Nov. 3 of the IHOP in Marietta.

Photo by Erin O’Neill
Employees of North Coast Construction were working recently to hang drywall inside the new Marietta IHOP restaurant.

MARIETTA — It looks like pancake lovers are going to have to wait a little longer to experience one of the newer IHOP designs as scheduling conflicts and weather have delayed the opening of the Marietta site until approximately the end of December.

In September, officials with Sharp Restaurants said they were looking at an early November opening date but that timeframe has come and gone and Mike Gulliver, who manages First Colony Center development for owner Larry Lang, said there might be yet another stumbling block as the weather gets colder and holidays near.

“Normally, the asphalt plant shuts down prior to Thanksgiving and deer season,” he said. “But the stucco is on the building and parking lot curbing is finished.”

After Monday’s torrential rains, what is going to be the restaurant’s parking area was flooded but the asphalt company is expected to come in soon, said project superintendent Danny Nickel with RSI General Contractors out of Sunbury.

“I’m in contact with the asphalt company on a daily basis and will have a meeting with them and the excavator this week to figure out how to get rid of this water and mud,” said Nickel, who also provided the new December estimate.

Photo by Erin O’Neill
What is to become the parking lot at the IHOP restaurant was flooded recently by torrential rains.

Employees of North Coast Construction out of Toledo were working on hanging drywall Monday. Inside the building, the dining room and kitchen areas were framed and wiring and HVAC units looked to be installed.

“We had an insulation inspection dated Oct. 16 and electrical rough-in on Oct. 12, so they’re up-to-date with those inspections, but as far as the opening, I couldn’t tell you. It could be a week, it could be a couple more months,” said Chris Wilson, official with the Washington County Building Department.

The restaurant is going to be one of the newer designs, incorporating a coffee bar and a fireplace, the flue for which could be seen on Monday’s walk-through.

“With this being the newer version of the store, there are a lot of things that we need to do to adapt (to the plans) and to meet Marietta’s high standard with their building codes,” Nickel said.

Manager Rodney Ahart posted publicly on social media in early October that there would be hiring trailers on the lot by the end of the month (October) and they would be hiring for all positions. There were no signs of any hiring being done on Monday and there were no listings on Indeed.com for positions in Marietta, though the same company is hiring at its Bridgeport, W.Va., location. Ahart did not respond to calls seeking comment Monday.

Photo courtesy of Michael Gulliver
The progress on Nov. 3 of the IHOP in Marietta.

The project superintendent said he is eager to get the job completed.

“I know people are excited. I’m excited because this restaurant is the first of its kind,” Nickel said. “We are rolling with the issues but we want to deliver a quality product.”